Amusement-coaster.



P. GoUnRoN. i AMUSEMBNT comme.' A'

- APPLICATION PIL'ED MAR. 28, 290B- Y Y PAUL GOUDROX, OE CHICAGO,` ILLINOIS.

AMUSEMENT-COASTER.

i No. 395,256.

To all 11:71 om it may/y concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL GoUDRoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and-State of Illinois,

have invented certain new and useful Im-Y provements 1n Annisement-Coasters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a coaster carriage having its seating portion so constructed that the carriage as a whole will coliform to the curves and undulations of the coaster track, whereby occu ants of the carriage will be subject not on y to the up and down movement due to irregularities 1n the track but will also be subject to the undulating movement of the carriage itself, thus greatly increasing the variety of sensations produced by the travel of the carriage.

The invention is intended for use on any coaster track having an undulating surface, but is more especially intended for use on chute the chutes7 structures suitably modified by the. addition of an undulating track surface built above the chute structure. The carriage, by reason of its flexible structure, is intended to closel f follow the curvature of the track so that al )ortions of the carriage will be parallel with tlic supporting structure and close thereto, whereby the. possible danger of an upset or other accident will be eliminated so that a most exhilarating sensation will be produced without any attendant danger.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

' In the dra-wings, Figure 1 is a. side elevation of an ordinary chute structure, having `an undulating track built thereon; F ig. 2 a. cross sectional elevation of the track, showing the carriage of the present invention; Fig. 3 a side elevation of the carriage traveling over a level track; Fig. 4 a similar view` showing the carriage traveling over the undulating section of track; Fig. 5 a modification of the roller bearing surface for the carl riage: and Fie'. 6 a ers )ective view of the carriage.

As shown in Fig. 1, the track is in the form of an inclined structure 7 provided, on its upper side, with an undulating track S, which referably starts with one or more short undulations 9, followed by one or more longer undulations 10, followed by a straight section of track 11, followed by a short bump or undulation' 12, terminating in a level track UMTED STATES 'PATENT orme Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1908. Serial No. 423,444.

Patented aug. `4., 19

13. A suit-able braking device 14 is efe' ablv provided at the end of thetracll( will be understood that the arrangement of l-N`l undulations shown serves merely for purposes of illustration and that the steepness of the track and the arrangement, size and stecpness of the undulations can be modified to suit existing conditions or the sensations intendedto be produced.

The flexible car or carriage intended for use on the track' is, as shown, in the general form of a toboggan having a flexible body composed of transverse slats 15, preferably of wood, of sufficient thickness and rigidity to sust-ain the weight of the intended load without bending or sagging at the middle. The number of the slats and their width will be dependent upon the length of the carriagev and the degree of flexibilitydesired. It is advisable. however, to have the slats suflicient in number and narrow enough in width to conform substantially to the curvat-ure of the track at all points. rlhe slats are held together and united into an integral structure by a ilexible floor or covering 16 which may be formed of heavy rubber, canvas, linoleum, or similar material having suflicient flexibility to conform to the curvature of the track under the weight of the load and at the same time having sufficient strength to firmly bind or unite the slats together.

In order to decrease the action of the wind on the clothing of the passengers, the forward end 17 of the ilcxible iloor or covering is curved or bowed like the front of a toboggan, which adds to the appearance of the carriage, increases the safety and comfort of the occupants, and creates the illusion of traveling on a toboggan. On the top of the ilexible floor is located a cushion 1S, which is preferably narrower than the width of the floor and which allords seats for the passengers, allowing an uncushioned floor space on each side of the seats for the support of the feet and thel garments of the occupants. The cushion, along its edges, is provided with straps or handles 19 which enable the passengers to hold themselves securely in place during the descent of the carriage.

weight of the load without allowing the slats to sag or bend at the center, The supportull' "I ing rollers 20 are supplemented by guide l track'wa'y having an undulating surface, a

rollers 21 of suitable number, which outwardly project fronrthe ends of a selected number of slats and are ada )ted to bear against the inner faces of the sides 22 of theV trackway. The sides 22 should preferably be of sufficient height. to guard against the danger of accidents due to carelessness or foolishness ou the part of the occupants of the carriage. The supporting rollers 20 preferabl)- rest upon track rails 23 which, as shown, are in the form of narrow strips of metal sunk into the floor of the trackway and flush with the surface thereof.

In the moditication shown in Fig. 5, the construction of the carriage is similar in all respects to that hitherto described, with the exception that the supporting rollers are omitted and the track surface itself is provided with rows or lines` of rollers 24 over which the carriage is intended to travel.

I l use, as the carriage descends the undulating trackway, the occupants not only eX- cricnce the sensation of an uneven descent ut will also directly feel the rocking or undulaticn of the surface upon which they are seated. At the same time, the cushion relieves the occupants from any unpleasant jarring or jol'ting which would be occasioned 1f the passengers were to slide down an undulating or bumpy Vsurface like that provided in the amusement device known as bump the bumps. Furthermore, the arrangement of the toboggan enables the occupants to be seated in comfort and safety, .and the arrangement of su )porting and guide rollers prevents any side swa fing or tilting which might tend to throw the passengers out of their seats. The ltloor and sides of the track. being perfectly smooth in the )referred construction, will eliminate-all bodi y danger and obviate the possibility of the tearing of garments which might ot-herwise be caught and torn.

Although the invention has been described with considerable particularity as to detail, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to a flexible carriage of the exact construction herein shown and described, since it is obvious that the same ilexibility ofmovement might be afforded by other forms of construction.

'hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An amusement coaster comprising a trackway having vertical undulations, and a carriage having a iiexible body adapted to conform to the undulations of the trackway and affording a verticallyundulating` and unstable seating surface, substantially as described.

.2. An amusement coaster comprising a flexible carriage adapted to conform to the undulations of the track, andl roller bearings tially as described.

3. An amusement coaster comprising an undulating trackway, a flexible carriage ada )ted to conform to the undulations'of the trac iway, said carriage being formed of transversely extending rigid slats, and a. flexible floor connecting the slats, substantially as described.

4. An amusement coaster comprising anl undulating trackway, a lexible carriage ada )ted to conform to the undulations of the on which the carriage is supported, subst-antrac (Way, said carriage beinfr formed of transversely extendingrigid slats and u turned at its forward end, and a ilexib e tloor connecting the slats, substantially as described.

5. An amusement coaster comprising an undulating trackway, a 'ilexible carriage necting the slats, and roller bearings sipport-V ing the slats, substantially as describe 7. An amusement coaster comprising an undulating trac-kway consisting of a floor and side walls, a lexible carriage comprising transversely extending rigid slats and a ilexible coverlng to which the slats are attached, supportmg rollers secured to the bottoms of the slats, and guide rollers secured to the ends of the slats and adapted to bear against the side walls of the trackway, substantially as described.

S. An amusement coaster comprising an undulating trackway consisting of a vfloor and side walls, a flexible Icarriage comprising transversely extending rigid slats, a ilexible covering to which the slats are attached, and a cushion seat carried by the ilexible covering, supporting rollers secured to the bottoms of the slats, and guide rollers secured to the ends of the slats and adapted to bear against the side walls of the trackway, substantially as described.

. PAUL Go'UDnoN.

Vitnesses:

WALKER BAXNING, PmRsoN W. BANNING. 

